Process of refining animal and vegetable oils.



' CHARLES BASKERVILLE, OF NEW YORK, Y.

PROCESS OF BEFINING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE OILS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES BAQKER- ViLLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Refining Animal and Vegetable Oils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to processes of treating animal and vegetable oils, and more particularly cottonseed oil, for refining and purification, and for decolorizing or bleaching. As is well known, cottonseed oil is now commonly refi ned by treatment with caustic soda solutions of varying concen trations, whereby the free fatty acids are saponified. 1

In my copending application Ser. No. 748,606, filed February 15, 1913, I. have pointed out that improved results are attained by agitating the crude oil with an organic absorbent, preferably cellulose fiber, impregated with caustic soda. Under these conditions, a small proportion of alkali may be far more uniformly distributed through a large body of oil, and the tendency of the soaps which are formed to emulsify,with the oil is very greatly diminished.

In my copendin'g application Ser. No. 7 44,- 04,5, filed January 24;, 1913, I have pointed out that a part at least of the coloring-matter of cottonseed and similar oils exists in a colloidal condition, and may be coagulated, agglomerated or pectized by the action of suitable electrolytes, such as sodium chlorid, such coloring-matters being thereby ren- (lered easy of removal.

I have now discovered that the tendency of the soaps formed by the caustic-alkali treatment to emulsify with the oil, or so to distribute themselves through the oil as to render their separation difiicult, may be overcome by subjecting the oil, at a suitable stage of the treatment,to the action of an anhydrous salt which is capable of taking up water of crystallization, the preferred salt being dry sodium carbonate, which, as is well known, is capable of taking up seven or ten molecules of water of crystallization, according to temperature conditions. By such treatment, the soaps which have already been formed by the treatment with caustic alkali, and whlch have become so in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Dry Na- C0 Patented Mar. 9, i915.

Application filed March 13, 1914. Serial No. 824,486.

In practicing the present invention, I

preferably utilize also the process disclosed in my copending applications above referred to, thereby securing certain combined advantages, as hereinafter pointed out. 7

My process may be carried into eflect as follows, it being understood that the invent on is not limited to the specific proportions or manipulations specified as illustrat1ve:-To the crude oil is added a small proportion of causticized cellulose (cellulose impregnated with about four per cent. by weight ofcaustic soda) and finely-'diyided sodium chlorid, the mixture being thoroughly agitated for about fifteen minutes. Caustic soda solution is then added in suitable proportion and the mixture is thoroughly stirred. Anhydrous sodium carbonate is then sifted in with constant stirring, and the mixture is heated to the socalled breaking-point, that is to say to a temperature, usually lying between 50 and 60 centigrade, at which coagulation occurs. The oil is then-filtered Warm, yield- Crude oil 6000 arts b wel 1t.-

Cellulose (4% NaOH) 180 Sodium chlorid"; 60

NaOH solution 30 Baum". 180 3% u u n As above stated, these proportions may be considerably varied according to the nature of the material treated.

The causticized cellulose serves, as above stated, the double purpose of securing a better distribution of the "caustic alkali through the oil and of facilitating the separation of the soap. The sodium chlorid serves to coagulate colloidal coloring-matter, and also acts to separate the soap asin the ordinary salting-out process. The dehydrating properties of the sodium carbonate serve to harden the soap and to render it easily filterable. The caustic alkali serves the usual function of neutralizing the acidity of the oil. The several ingredients corendering the oil easily filterable while Warm.

I claim 1. In a process of refining cottonseed or similar oils, the steps whichconsist in neutralizing the oil by caustic alkali, and hardening the resulting alkali soaps by acting thereon with a suitable dehydrating agent.

2. In a process of refining cottonseed or similar oils, the steps which consist in neutralizing the oil, and acting thereon with an anhydrous salt capable of taking up water of crystallization. I

3.- In a process of refining cottonseed or similar oils, the steps which consist in neutralizing the oil, and adding thereto dry sodium carbonate.

4. The herein described process of treatin presence of an organic absorbent and a saline electrolyte, adding dry sodium carbonate, heating the oil until coagulation occurs, and separating the coagulum.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses CHARLES BASKERVILLE. v

Witnesses MARY S. BASKERVILLE, THoMAs F. OKEEFE. 

